Reading 1998

“The last time I ever got really nervous was Reading ’98. We were playing on the Main Stage, second from the top and ever since that, I don’t get nervous anymore. Once you’ve played that sort of show, you feel like you can do anything. When you’re playing in front of that many people, you can’t f**k up. You just have to go for it.”

Tim Wheeler from Ash on the band’s 1998 performance on the Main Stage.

“My cringe-worthy New Order memory was when we headlined in 1998. We had a really crap after show party, there was no food at all, so I wasn’t in the best mood. I saw Gillian in a corner chatting to this dapper young bloke so I said ‘…and who the f**king hell are you?’. They both just looked at me a bit embarrassed, so I stomped off to get the last remaining food in the whole of Reading – a manky kebab. Then this handsome bloke got on our bus and came back to the hotel, which I thought was pretty cheeky for a hanger-on, so I stomped off to bed, still none the wiser. He was gone in the morning when I found out who he was, so, after all these years, Alex James from Blur, I’m sorry I was such a moody sod and please accept this as a long overdue apology!”

Stephen Morris of New Order and Joy Division on his most embarrassing festival memory.

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